Logistical considerations for spent mushroom compost utilisation

摘要

Intensive agricultural enterprises such as mushroom producers generate volumes of organic wastes that generally exceed the capacity of land resources under their direct control to safely assimilate. In the case of Ireland's mushroom industry, the fact that producers are concentrated into distinct geographic locations amplifies the problem of safely utilising a by-product of production: spent mushroom compost. This paper presents a preliminary evaluation of the logistical constraints and possible alternatives for both agricultural and non-agricultural uses of spent mushroom compost. Considered are problems of transport, production techniques, regulatory controls, citizen opposition, economics, and inertia against change within the mushroom industry.